Analysis of India’s Air Pollution Data
Introduction
In 2019, a group of researchers from UBC Vancouver conducted a field study in India to investigate the relationship between energy usage and air quality experienced by rural communities. This project aims to assess the effects of conventional household-level energy usage on indoor air pollution levels in rural areas. We focus on characterizing cooking emissions by examining real time concentrations of pollutants like \(PM_{2.5}\) and Black Carbon (BC).
Indoor Air Exposure
- Use of Solid Biomass Fuel (SBF) in cooking can emit \(PM_{2.5}\), Black Carbon and CO in indoor spaces
- SBF use is common in Low and Middle income countries like India, particularly the rural households (which can account for 80% of total population)
- Cooking Emission can be as high as 20 times of the background concentration
- Factors that effect the exposure to indoor pollutants
- Fuel usage in cooking
- Type of cooking setup (oven type and kitchen type)
- Household ventilation
- Food choices and cooking time
- Primary emission reduction can be achieved by adopting clean fuels such as Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)
- However, affordability and fuel-stacking remains a big challenge
- Community and household level actionable measures can be a solution to reduce exposure
- Additionally, measuring Black Carbon concentration in rural setup can be very challenging and hence very limited Black Carbon monitoring data are available from rural communities.
Black Carbon (BC) - Measurement and Challanges
- BC is a component of combustion-derived particulate matter (PM)
- BC is a strong absorber of solar radiation, with 20 years Global Warming Potential of 4470
- BC has also been identified as a toxic pollutant - can impact human organ growth
- However, monitoring BC is a big challenge as there is no such particular chemical definition
- Present BC measurement technique involves an Aethalometer, which operates on the continuous measurement of light absorption.
- Latest multi-wavelength Aethalometers can be used to identify the source of BC by performing source apportionment analysis.
- A parameter that can explain the strength of spectral light absorption, Absorption Angstrom Exponent (AAE), is often used to identify the source of BC.
- Typically, AAE of BC from fossil fuel-based sources is considered to be 1. The presence of biomass-based BC sources can cause enhanced light absorption in lower wavelengths and increase AAE values.
Effect of Wildfire smoke on AAE values
In 2020 summer, Vancouver’s lower mainland experienced ten days of wildfire smoke between August and November. The continuous Aethalometer measurements performed at a near-road monitoring site show increased AAE values (\(AAE_{WF} = 1.71\)) during the wildfire-affected days. For non-wildfire days, average AAE (\(AAE_{Reg}\)) values were estimated as 1.23.
AAE (power law fit of light absorption) from Vancouver’s Data
Campaign in India
- This study focused on characterizing emissions experienced by the rural household in India
- We performed community-level monitoring (both indoor and outdoor) of air pollution in two villages in northern India.
- RAMP (Real-time, Affordable, Multi-Pollutant) air quality monitors were used to measure air pollutants: carbon monoxide (\(CO\)), nitrogen dioxide (\(NO_2\)), ozone (\(O_3\)), and fine particulate mass (\(PM_{2.5}\)).
- Micro-Aethalometers (model: MA300) are portable, battery-powered aethalometer and were used to measure black carbon concentration in this campaign.
- Participant survey conducted to learn about their fuel usage patterns, cooking practices
- Participants’ building structures were studied to understand the state of household ventilation.
Pollution Monitoring in Indian Villages
Location Details
- Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) has been in the limelight for being the hotspot of intense air pollution in Northern India.
- This study has been conducted in rural regions of Unnao district in Uttar Pradesh, located at the heart of IGP.
- Rural Monitoring Sites
- Village 1: Bhawani Kheda (BK)
- Village 2: Naikani Kheda (NK)
- Regulatory Monitoring Sites
- We also identify a few continuous air quality monitoring stations close to our campaign location operated by Central Pollution Control Board of India and University of Gothenburg.
- These stations are equipped with regulatory-grade monitoring instruments, and data from these stations can help validate low-cost sensors’ performance.
Air Quality Monitoring Locations and Map
| Station ID | Location | Operated by | Monitoring Type | Site Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BK | Unnao | University of British Columbia | Low Cost Network | Rural |
| NK | Unnao | University of British Columbia | Low Cost Network | Rural |
| KNP | Kanpur | Central Pollution Control Board, Kanpur | Regulatory Grade | Urban |
| LKO_Sch | Lucknow | Central Pollution Control Board, Lucknow | Regulatory Grade | Urban |
| LKO_Ind | Lucknow | Central Pollution Control Board, Lucknow | Regulatory Grade | Industrial |
| HAMI | Hamirpur | University of Gothenburg | Regulatory Grade | Rural |